Colorado Bend State Park: The Disaster Trip that Taught Me Deep Lessons

- April 20, 2021

Hello and welcome to Day Hiker Grammie's blog spot. I haven't been very active for the last year because frankly, I haven't had the funds and then the virus happened. However, times are changing and I'm headed in a better direction so I'm hoping that I'll have more content now.

My first camping trip in over a year was pretty much a disaster. I did not do my homework. I took it for granted that since it was a state park, it would be pretty much the same as the last state park we went to. I couldn't have been more wrong! My brother set this trip up and I did not research the park or even the area where we were going. Big, big mistake on my part!

Let me begin by describing the area where this state park is located. This is one of the most remote parks in the state park system. It sits in the middle between San Saba, Lampasas and Llano, Texas. The closest town is Lometa. It is a half hour drive from the park and the nearest gas station is there. Fuel up before you leave. It sits in the middle of the hill country. There's no cell service at the bottom of the hill where the camp sites sit. There's no electricity or running water at the camp sites. There is running water available but not in the campsite areas. Also, the latrines are the outhouse variety and there is no handwashing sinks in them, only hand santizer.

Despite the above mentioned drawbacks to this park, I have to say that the remoteness made this park one the most beautiful and less polluted parks that I've been to. The campsites sit right on the Colorado River. Across the river is the tallest, most beautiful hill you could ask for in terms of scenery. It sets a gorgeous backdrop for you that just makes up for everything else. At night, it is pitch black with few lights and none in the surrounding countryside so the view you get of the night sky is beyond amazing.

The view across the river.

So, what made this trip a disaster if the views were amazing? Like I said, the lack of proper planning on my part made this trip more stressful than it should have been. Had I known ahead of time that there was no cell reception in the park, I would have brought supplies along that would have properly entertained a five year old. Without electricity in the camp sites, my grandson's tablet burned out quickly. Without his tablet, the in between times when we weren't actively doing something brought a lot of boredom and he pretty much aggravated his older cousins in his boredom. His markers and drawing tablet would have cured that problem before it started. Instead, he used his cousins and they were upset because they felt he ruined them. So, we had some conflict that could have avoided with just a bit of proper planning.

The lack of cell service in the area was another point of contention. Not with me, because I couldn't have cared less if my phone worked or not. For me, that was kind of the point of being out in the middle of nowhere. However, when you're traveling with teens and preteens, the lack of cell service is an issue. They were unhappy with this. Had I known, I could have warned them ahead of time so they knew better what to expect and opt not to go as a result. Again, do my homework comes to mind. Know before you go!

Gorman Falls

The last thing that happened was nearly fatal. It was such an important lesson that I'll never forget it. The hike to Gorman Falls is a difficult one but I was determined to get there. They are an amazing site to see and I'm glad I made it. However, I almost had a heat stroke on the return trip. I ran out of water about half way back. Since I was already a bit dehydrated to begin with, by the time I made it back to the car, I was suffering from heat exhausted complete with muscle cramps and a headache. It took me a while to be able to get into the car and close myself into the air conditioning without my leg muscles seizing up.

Proper hydration is absolutely pivotal to a good hiking experience and it's necessary to keep yourself out of the danger zone. One would think that's common sense but unfortunately for me, it wasn't. I was relying on sugary sodas rather than actual water to drink. I didn't pack enough potable water to refill my water reservoir from the previous day's hike. It was a recipe for a disaster. My friends, it's not enough that you bring water with you on the trail. That much is a given. It's also important for you to stay hydrated while you're at camp. Drink lots and lots of water and leave the sugary drinks for once a day at dinner. The older that you are, the more pivotal this will be. Not only will it save your life on the trail but it will help your body keep from having night time cramps when it's time to crawl into your sleeping bag.

Here's some more highlights from the trip. I'm working on a video to upload that's a walk through of the hike to Gorman Falls. You can check that out on YouTube. Here's a link to the park's website if you're interested in visiting this park yourself: Colorado Bend State Park — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department